A strand of Gray Hair
by Jcani
Summary: Eva finds a gray hair and begins to think about her future. Soon after she goes on a date without informing Neil. Surely Neil would act like an adult if he finds out, right?


"It was a perfect fic :) Kind of hoping you will do a sequel one shot in which Neil 'figures it out' and acts on it."

Above is one of the reviews for my other oneshot "Afterwards". While I don't make any direct references to it within this story, I do like to think that my TTM oneshots (now and in the future) are all within the same universe and correlate to each other in one way or another.

I hope you enjoy :)

* * *

A Strand of Gray Hair

It was business as usual as Eva went about her morning routine, eating her breakfast, brushing her teeth, and most importantly, brushing her hair. Eva was far from an arrogant woman, in stark contrast with her partner Neil, but if there was something she could take pride in wholesomely and boastfully, it would be her job second and her hair first.

She smiled at the mirror she looked into and watched as she skillfully manipulated the bristles of the brush into her silken raven tresses. The vanity upon which the mirror was situated on was sparsely topped with various containers of makeup. Eva hardly ever finds the need to put any on, most of what she owns happening to be not-so-thoughtful gifts from various friends and family, and many have gone unopened for years now.

When she had finished, she examined her work thoroughly before wrapping a lock around her finger and placing it beneath her nostrils, inhaling the aroma of the aloe conditioner she had used earlier. The scent had brought her to near-ecstasy and she could only imagine what her co-workers might say if they were to see her behave in such a girlish manner. Doubtless that Neil would have teased her to no end.

Satisfied that her hair was well-groomed, Eva turned away to attend to something else when suddenly, a dubious glint caught the periphery of her vision. She glanced back in the mirror, where she was sure it had come from. As she leaned in closer the glint appeared again, and she gasped when she had found the source. In her hair, hidden within her midnight mane was a lone silver hair which she isolated between her index finger and thumb.

To pull, or not to pull, that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer under the appearance of getting older, or to pluck out the offending follicle and in doing so, end it.

_I'm still young_, Eva argued to herself as she twisted the strand in her fingers. _Studies show that stress could lead to grey hairs, could this be from stress? _

The more Eva thought about it, the more she preferred it, and the more she justified it. Neil was, and always has been a pain to her. In fact, she wondered why she didn't have more and she began to thoroughly check her scalp for any additional Neil-induced greying. Not having found another hoary hair strand, she stopped and went on with her day, going to her closet and pulling out one of many Sigmund Corporation lab coats she had stored inside and placed it upon her bed.

While she was in the process of selecting a pair of shoes, a buzz from her vanity caught her attention. It was her phone, and on its screen read "Gardenia Rosalene" with the option to pick up or ignore marked in green and red respectively. Eva picked up her phone and thumbed the green pick-up symbol on the touch screen before placing it against her ear.

"Hello? Gardy?"

"_**Oh my god, Eva, oh my god!" **_

"Gardenia? What's wrong?!" Eva's heart began to pound in dread.

"_**Eva, it's Andy!"**_

"What about Andy?"

"_**He finally proposed! Oh my god!" **_

Eva let out a sigh and sat on her bed, emotionally exhausted. "Gardenia, you had me worried there. Congratulations, you've been dating for how long, four years?"

"_**Took his sweet time, didn't he?"**_

Eva held the phone using her ear and her shoulder as she began to don her stockings. "It's the twenty-first century; you could have told him your feelings."

"_**What? And say something that will totally freak him out and run? Nope." **_

"If you're worried over something so ridiculous, maybe you two shouldn't even get married," Eva responded bluntly.

There was a long pause after her statement, one long enough to make Eva take her phone in her hand and see if she accidentally hung up on her sister, which she didn't.

"… _**You don't think me and Andy are good together, do you?" **_There was a tremble in Gardenia's voice as she barely squeaked out her statement.

"Gardy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"_**Andy is a great guy, and he loves me, and he takes care of me. He's been here for me, through thick and thin."**_

"Gardy, I never said he was a bad guy."

"_**No, but you implied it, didn't you, by saying that worrying over him getting freaked out means we shouldn't get married? Haven't you considered that the fact that I'm so worried only goes to show how much I like him?" **_

"I'm _sorry, _Gardenia," Eva stressed. "I misspoke. Now, when's the wedding?"

There was a slight sniffle before Gardenia answered. _**"It's this coming summer. You won't be too busy to come, will you?" **_

"No, of course not, I can establish something with the corporation. I wouldn't miss your wedding for the world."

"_**But it's not**_ _**just my wedding; you're gonna be my maid of honor. I'm going to need help choosing a dress, a venue, flowers-"**_

"I'll be sure to take that into consideration when I talk to my boss," Eva interjected.

"_**I'm going to assume that Neil is your plus-one?" **_

Eva had no immediate response. "Um… I'm not sure. I don't think he'd like to go to a wedding."

"_**But couples normally go to weddings together, don't they?" **_

"W-what?!" Eva suddenly blurted out. "We're not a couple!"

"… _**Oh." **_

Eva's nostrils flared. "Is that judgment I hear?"

"_**No, it's just that, I mean, mom and I and pretty much everyone else here had always thought that you and Neil were… well, you know. Not to mention you're the same age I was when I first met Andy all those years ago. Plus, mom says you're too old to be single and to think about your future."**_

"I'm not getting old!" Eva interrupted, vexed. "Look, I'll talk to you later sis, bye."

Eva hung up and placed her phone down rather huffily before puffing her cheeks resentfully. _I'm _not _getting old. _

* * *

Eva sat behind her desk in her office, her lips pursed disdainfully as she read through a long-winded e-mail from her mother describing the event that was Andy's proposal to Gardenia. What irked her was the last sentence. Oh, how it reeked of motherly manipulation.

_**When's your wedding, dear? **_

_Typical mom, jeez, _Eva thought to herself as she signed off her e-mail and closed her browser. There was buzz in her lab coat, and she took out her phone, finding she had a text from Neil.

"EVA MO ASAP," the text read.

Eva's thumb quickly fired off a grammatically correct reply. "Not in the mood for a prank, Neil."

Neil's response came in the form of two separate messages. "…" "Walk Slowly."

Eva let out a nasal sigh and got up from her desk. When she opened her office door, she eyed Neil's, who was straight across from her, suspiciously, hearing what sounded like equipment being disassembled behind it. After what she deemed was a reasonable amount of time, she approached his door and opened it, making sure to stand back, lest there be a bucket of water balancing precariously at the top.

Instead, what she saw was a somewhat flustered Neil packing away a complicated contraption under his desk.

"Boy, today's practical joke looks complex," Eva noted once Neil looked up at her and wiped the sweat off his brow.

"It would've been freaking epic," Neil smirked at her. "But whatev's, you weren't in the mood for it. Anyways, look at this."

Neil pointed at his computer monitor. Eva walked closer and looked over his shoulder.

"Dr. Watts, please come see me at lunch tomorrow," Eva read aloud. "This is from our boss."

"Yeah, no kidding!" Neil retorted, slightly panicked. "Why does he want to see me? He _never _wants to see me! Every time I'm with him he's always like, 'go away Neil', or 'you're not getting a raise, Neil', or even, 'I'm not smelling that, Dr. Watts'."

"I'm assuming your antics finally caught up with you."

Neil gave Eva a derisive snort. "My antics? They're charming, they're fun! No one hates me for them! 'Sides, you're always watching my ass for me, ain'tcha Eva?"

Eva closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose. "You really have to do something about that dependency on me."

"We can't just assume this is bad news, right?" Neil looked up at her hopefully.

"I guess not."

"Really?"

"Nope."

Eva's frankness immediately turned Neil's hopeful expression into that of dismay.

"Eva!" Neil tossed himself down at Eva's feet and wrapped his arms around her legs whilst she looked down at him, somewhat mortified. "I can't lose this job! I make soooo much money! I can't go back to being poor!"

"You weren't ever really 'poor' per se." Eva shook Neil off her leg. "Look, go meet with the boss, and I'll help you deal with what happens _after_, okay?"

Neil pouted his lip at Eva. "You promise?"

"Neil, you're such a kid," Eva pointed out as she palmed her face. "But, yeah, I promise."

* * *

Eva was once again in front of a mirror, this time in the unisex washroom, leaning forward on the sink as she examined the grey hair on her head.

_Neil probably didn't see it, but I guess he was too worried about getting fired to notice. _Eva shook her head furiously and smacked her face a few times with her palms. _As if I care what he thinks! _

The door to the restroom creaked open, revealing an older woman, her grey hair tied into a neat bun and held in place by two decorative hair sticks. Her incredibly narrow eyes had the appearance of being closed, and, like Eva, she too wore the feminine variant of the Sigmund Corporation lab coat.

"Hey Taima," Eva curtsied as the female Dr. McMillan entered.

"Hello, Eva," Taima replied in kind before she entered a nearby stall. "I heard some commotion coming from Neil's office."

Eva regarded the closed stall door amusedly. "Are you really going to talk to me while you're in there?"

"Ohoho!" Taima let out a jovial laugh. "It's no problem for me dearie. So, have you and Neil begun dating yet?"

The corner of Eva's eye twitched slightly. _First my sister, and now Taima? Why are people so obsessed with me and Neil? _"No, like I said before, I like to separate my personal and professional lives."

"Oh, I've annoyed you, haven't I?" Taima observed upon hearing Eva's tone. "I only ask just so I could bring up my nephew again."

"I'm not annoyed. And like before, my answer's the same. I'm just not looking. Besides, can't you set him up with someone else? How about Roxie?"

There was a flush, and Taima emerged from the stall. She took the sink right next to Eva and began the meticulous process of washing her hands.

"Roxanne is a fine girl," Taima began as she started to coat her hands in soap, "but the only reason I insist you see him is because I think the two of you would be wonderful together! It wouldn't hurt to give him a chance now, would it? Think about your future."

_Gardenia said the same thing too… _Eva quickly glanced towards the mirror, spying the lone grey hair nestled within her ebony locks. "Fine. One date."

Taima tossed her hands in the air jubilantly which resulted in Eva getting lightly splashed with droplets of sink water. "Marvelous! Your date's tomorrow, during lunch, he'll come by and pick you up!"

Taima then rushed out the restroom without even bothering to dry her hands.

"Taima?" Eva called after her. "Did you say tomorrow? Taima? Dr. McMillan!"

* * *

Yesterday had gone by uneventfully, and now Neil sat his desk, his eyes glued to the clock. The collar of his lab coat was stained with sweat that rolled down his neck from his head. It was almost lunch time, and Neil was more nervous than ever with the meeting with his boss.

_What should I say when I come in? What's up? 'Sup? What's shakin'? Good morning Dr…. Dr…. Ah crap! What's the boss's name again?! _Panic began to envelop Neil and he took to gnawing the inside of his cheek to cope. _Craaaaap, I need to talk to Eva! _

Neil rushed out of his office and took the three-step journey to Eva's office before he flung the door wide open in a mock-dramatic manner. He expected to be yelled at but instead was greeted by silence.

"Um, Eva?" Neil pointlessly called out as he looked around the vacant office. He spied a leather-bound notebook on top of Eva's desk and instinctively approached. _Hold on a tick Neil, you don't have time to be reading Eva's diary. _

Neil turned away from it and walked in the opposite direction, but paused as he reached the doorway.

"Read me, Neil; Read me," he could swear the diary was seducing him. Neil looked over his shoulder at the diary and then, quite giddily, rushed towards it. He flipped through the pages, looking for the most recent entry, Neil having already read the previous ones. It was dated yesterday and Neil's eyes hungrily began to read the passage.

_Found a grey hair today, thanks Neil. Also found out Gardenia's getting married. I suppose married life suits her, but with someone as flaky as Andy? I don't want to seem like a bad sister but it seems like this is just one of maybe two or three possible marriages. Also found out Neil has to see the boss tomorrow. That idiot finally did something to tick off the higher ups. He deserves whatever's coming, but I hope they aren't too hard on him all the same. _

Neil grinned slightly. _Nice to know she cares a bit_. He continued reading.

_Though the weirdest thing that happened today was how Taima set me up on a date with her nephew. Seriously, tomorrow, lunch time? Either she's planned this in advance, or her nephew has a very consistent schedule. _

Neil reread the last half of the passage again, in case he was missing any context. _Eva's… on a date? _Neil rolled his tongue in his cheeks, not sure how to take the news.

_Eva is on a date… Eva is on a date…_

"Eva's on a date…" He said aloud to himself, so that he may better comprehend it. "Eva's on a date…" Neil placed Eva's diary back on the desk and slowly walked out of her office, his shoulders slumped and head hung low.

* * *

Eva sat across the table from a narrow-eyed man whose shoulder length black hair was slicked back with a somewhat excessive amount of gel. His attire was semi-professional, having worn a collared white shirt with its sleeves rolled up his arms a loosely knotted striped blue tie affixed around his neck.

"This place is a little extravagant, you know, for just lunch," Eva pointed out to her date. The man across from her chuckled and nodded his head.

"Yeah, my parents insisted I at least do this much, with my aunt telling them how great you are."

Eva gave him a playful grin. "Well, sorry for being so great."

The man replied in kind with a chuckle. A waiter approached the table and gave each of them a menu before walking away.

"So, Dr. Song-"

"Please, call me Jack," the man insisted.

"_Jack_," Eva corrected herself, "when did you find out you wanted to be a physician?"

Jack guffawed heartily prior to answering. "Sure, it was _me _who wanted to be a doctor, _sure_."

"Demanding parents?"

"Hey, that's racist." Jack suddenly took on a serious tone.

Eva's eyes widened and she tried to speak, but could find no words. Jack's mouth however started to quiver before it bent at the corners into a smile and it wasn't long after until he started laughing again, slapping himself on the chest in order to alleviate some of his merriment.

"Oh god, the look on your face…" Jack wiped away a merry tear. "Yeah, my parents were pretty much the stereotypical 'become a doctor or we will disown you' type. A little hypocritical considering _neither _of them even has a college degree, but you know; what can you do?"

Eva could only laugh nervously.

Jack opened the menu given to him and eyed its contents. "So Eva, it's not too early for some champagne is it? Of course, I'm driving, so I'll just have a non-alcoholic but similarly pellucid beverage."

"Champagne is usually served in times of celebration, just what are we celebrating?" Eva queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Hopefully, the first of many more dates. You're quite beautiful Eva."

Eva's dark skin didn't help much to mask the redness of her cheeks so she took refuge behind her menu. "Champagne's fine!"

* * *

"Gah! Dammit, just what the heck are they smiling about?!" Across the street from the restaurant, hidden in some shrubbery, was Neil, staring vigilantly through the large window panes of the restaurant. "I can't believe Eva! Here I am, about to lose my freaking job, and she's off on some date! Guy looks like a jerk too. Yeah, he's a jerk I bet."

"Mommy, there's a guy in that bush!"

Neil shifted his gaze towards the right, seeing the pointed index finger of a young boy aiming directly at him. The mother spotted Neil and began to rush her child along.

"Ignore that man. I'll call the police once we're down the block."

_What a pain, what a pain, what a pain! _Neil cried to himself as he watched both mother and child hurry down the sidewalk. _Why the heck is Eva even on a date?! Why the hell do I even care?! _Neil returned his attention back to the restaurant in time to see Eva laugh at something Jack had said. _What is she laughing at?! No way could that jerk be funny! _

In his anger Neil had involuntarily began pulling the branches from the bush he was hiding in. _I have to get in there, find out what they're talking about. But I can't just waltz in through the front door._

A delivery truck caught Neil's attention and he observed it pull into the alleyway next to the restaurant. _Bingo. _

Neil made his way across the street, making sure to outpace the woman and her son, and headed into the alley. _Now I just got to pretend that I belong. _

He disrobed from his lab coat, revealing typical corporate attire beneath, and placed it on top of a closed garbage can. He found the back entrance in which the delivery from the truck was being brought into and made a beeline for it, but was stopped when a voice from the truck called out to him.

"Oi, buddy!" A burlesque fellow in a white tank top beckoned Neil over and presented him with a crate. "Wanna gimme a hand here, bud?"

"Oh, uh, right." Neil took the crate and his knees nearly buckled under the weight.

"Woah, there, it ain't too heavy for you, is it?"

"I… got it…" Neil managed whimper out before walking bow-legged towards the rear entrance. The door, thankfully, had no nob to turn and Neil used his shoulder to push it aside. This brought him into the kitchen, a hectic and chaotic scene in which a chef barked out orders, assistant cooks frantically prepared dishes and an allotment of waiters and waitresses come in and out to deliver the meals to their patrons.

Neil placed the crate down and let out an impressed whistle. "It's like a rusty, old machine with the gears grinding against each other but is still somehow able to work."

"Hey you! Put on an apron and get started on the dishes already!"

Neil whirled around to confront a woman whose hair was tied up in a tight bun and was holding a clipboard.

"I ain't no dish-washer!" Neil impulsively retorted, practically indignant at the assumption.

"Then what are you? _Who _are you?" The woman began to eye him suspiciously.

"I er, ah, well, you know…"

"The… new male restroom attendant?" The woman asked apprehensively.

"Y-yes!" Neil eagerly confirmed. "That's me, the new guy, the guy who's supposed to be attending to the restroom. For the males. The guys. The dudes. Yup."

"Then why are you in the kitchen? And where's your vest?"

"I am in the kitchen… because… uh… no one gave me a vest! Uh huh! Didn't want to seem, y'know, out of uniform and non-professional to our customers. The male ones. The ones that go into the men's restroom."

The woman sighed and placed her fingers on her temple. "Okay, look. I don't know who the heck you are, or what you're trying to do, but as you can see, we're swamped. If you could just put on a _freaking _vest and tend to the patrons in the restroom until the guy who's supposed to do it comes by, then I'll pretend you were never here, okay?"

The woman seemed to be seething with both impatience and anger, and he nodded obligingly. She went away for a moment, came back and tossed him a brown vest before directing him out of the kitchen and towards the restrooms. As he made his way towards the restroom, Neil caught sight of the dining area, and craned his neck to find Eva's table. He found it, all the way across the room, near the entrance. He saw her glance past her date's shoulders and towards him briefly, prompting Neil to look away and walk briskly into the men's restroom.

_Ah crap, I hope she didn't see me. _

* * *

_Was that… Neil? _

Jack followed Eva's line of sight by looking over his shoulder then back at her. "Um, Eva, you okay?"

Eva jumped slightly in her seat. "Ah, yes, yes, I'm sorry, I just though I saw someone I knew."

"What, was it like an ex-boyfriend or something? Because you seemed pretty mortified."

"No!" Eva automatically replied.

"Then, a current boyfriend?" Jack gave her a sly smirk. "Naughty, naughty Eva."

"As if a jerk like him would be my boyfriend!" Eva's outburst brought about glances from other customers. Eva kept her arms close to her body, to make her seem as small as possible. "It's nothing, I saw nobody…"

Jack chuckled and reached for her hand across the table. Eva was somewhat shocked by the contact, though allowed it after he gave her a comforting smile. "I was just joking. I'm sure this loud, indignant side of you isn't just revealed to anyone, yeah?"

Eva shyly averted her gaze. "I try not to be so boisterous, unlike my partner…"

"Well, I'm glad you're comfortable enough round me to express such feelings."

Eva gave Jack thankful smile and squeezed his hand lightly.

* * *

Neil leaned back in his seat by the sinks in the men's restroom, looking up forlornly at the ceiling. _What the heck did I bring myself into? _

On top of the counter, beside him, was a basket containing hand sanitizer, complimentary mints, and some chewing gum, along with various other bathroom-sensitive items.

_Maybe I should have pretended I was a waiter, and then I could have snuck by their table every so often. _Neil's musings were interrupted when the restroom door swung open, revealing a young boy at the door. The boy gazed at Neil briefly before making a sudden exclamation.

"You're that guy in the bush!"

"Mhm," Neil responded despondently before reaching into the basket beside him. "Want a mint?"

"Okay!" The child took and pocketed the mint before heading towards the urinal. Neil returned to staring at the ceiling. When the boy finished he walked up to the sinks, then looked to Neil expectantly. He tugged on Neil's pant leg to get his attention.

"What is it, brat?" Neil asked, slightly peeved.

"I can't reach the sink."

Neil let out a sigh, stood up, and placed his hands on the boy's sides, right beneath the arm pits. He held the boy up to the sink who then began to wash his hands.

"So, you here just to use the restroom or are you customer?"

"I'm here with my mom and dad!" The boy eagerly replied. "It's dad's birthday!"

"Cool."

"Okay, I'm done!"

Neil let the boy down, though as the child was leaving, an idea popped into Neil's mind. "Hey kid, wait!"

The boy stopped just as he was about to push the restroom door open. "Yeah?"

"You wanna make an easy twenty bucks?"

The boy beamed up at Neil at the prospect and Neil couldn't help but notice the twinkle in the boy's eye. _That's probably more money than this kid ever handled. _

Neil dug out his wallet from his back pocket and slipped a ten into the boy's hand. "Here's half now. There's a table in the dining area occupied by two people, a girl with dark skin and long hair, and some guy that looks like a jerk."

"Is that the one with the pretty lady?"

Neil blushed at the prospect of having to admit to admiring Eva's appearance. "Y-yeah, I guess so…"

"I know where she is! We're right next to them! Dad keeps looking at her."

"Hey, that sounds like something to tell your mother," Neil sarcastically replied. "I just want you to listen in on their conversation if you can, okay? Also see if the girl likes the guy or vice versa. You'll get the other half of the money once you see them leave, or when you have to leave, capiche?"

The child tilted his head to the side in confusion upon hearing Neil's Italian slang.

"Do. You. Understand?" Neil enunciated.

The boy nodded and ran out the restroom.

For the next hour, Neil tended to the male patrons of the restaurant that entered the men's restroom. Many were quite leery at the fact that there was someone posted at the restroom, though others, the more well-to-do, weren't surprised by his appearance and used his services to the fullest. These very same people were very good tippers, Neil noticed, and it wasn't long until he made up the money he was going to spend paying for the child's services.

After another good tipper walked out of the restroom, the boy walked back in, giving Neil a triumphant smile.

"I have to go now!"

Neil eagerly kneeled down and motioned the boy to come in closer. "Yeah, yeah, okay now tell me, what did you hear?"

"A lot of complicated doctor stuff. I think they're doctors."

"Yeah, and? What did the woman say? She mention anybody or tell the guy anything important sounding?" Neil impatiently began to drum his fingers against his knee.

The boy looked up in thought. "Umm, something about a wedding, and bringing a date? The guy said he'd be happy to go with her."

"A wedding?" Neil asked. _Oh wait, Eva's diary mentioned her sister getting married._ _Why would she take some guy she just met over me? _

"Also," the boy went on, "she kept bringing up some Neil guy."

Neil's eyes riveted towards the boy keenly. "What'd she say?"

The boy offered Neil a shrug. "A lot of bad stuff I guess. He's annoying. He's a jerk. He does lotsa pranks."

Neil sat down on his chair defeated, his eyes distant. "Bad stuff, huh?"

"But," the boy continued, "she kept smiling. Like she liked the bad things he did or something. I dunno, it was weird."

Neil looked at the boy hopefully. "She was smiling when she was talking about me? Er, I mean Neil? You sure it wasn't from anything the other guy said?"

The boy shook his head. "That guy didn't talk much."

"Good… good." Neil ran his fingers through his hair while letting out an exasperated breath. He then looked down at the boy who had extended his hand, his palm facing upwards. Neil dug into his pocket and pulled out a few crumpled bills, his tips earned, and placed them in the boy's hand. "Don't spend it all at once."

"Bye mister!" The boy then gleefully ran out the restroom, pocketing the money as he did so.

_Maybe I should find a way to sneak on outta here. Lunch is almost over, and Eva's bound to be- _Neil's thoughts were interrupted when another person walked into the restroom. Neil barely managed to contain his surprise when he found the person to be the very man that sat right across from Eva. The two exchanged glances for a brief moment until Jack broke eye contact, heading towards a stall.

_Eva's date! Maybe I should talk to him. Nah, that'd be too weird, with him being on the- _

"So, you're a bathroom attendant," Jack interrupted Neil's thoughts once more, this time from the awkward porcelain seat in the stall. "Must be pretty awkward."

_Is this guy actually starting a conversation with me while on there?! _"Not as awkward as what's happening right now," Neil responded, looking at Jack's feet beneath the stall disbelievingly.

"Hah! You want awkward? You should check out the chick I'm with, she's _really _awkward."

_Did he just call Eva awkward? And a chick? _Neil's eyes widened when a thought struck him and his took out his phone. He then activated the recorder before continuing the conversation. "Awkward you say?"

"Yep, she obviously doesn't have much experience dating, always blushing at what I have to say or getting extremely embarrassed. It's cute."

_Cute, huh? _Neil thought to himself. _Getting that kind of reaction out of Eva would be pretty great… _

"To be honest, I thought she'd be a bit more of a challenge, considering she's a doctor, but she's just an easy score as everyone else."

"What?" Neil mechanically questioned.

A sly chuckle came from jack. "You know. A _score_. Well, then again, you are just a bathroom attendant. I'm sure that puts a lot of chicks off."

_I knew this guy was a jerk! _

"Try becoming a doctor, or a lawyer, or pretty much anyone that makes any money. That and the line 'I'm just looking to settle down' will get you more action than you ever dreamed of."

Neil subconsciously began to growl and his hand gripped his phone tightly.

"Is that right?" Was all he could say, barely managing to withhold his fury.

"Boy, this girl though," Jack let out a whistle, "she's just banging hot. _Banging_, if you get what I mean. And she tries to come off as serious and professional, I bet she had to suppress a lot of her desires, her _freaky side _if you will. Once I get her to let go and release, I'm sure she'd be a complete freak in bed."

_Am I really going to let him talk about Eva like this?! _

"That'll probably only last for a few lays though. Then I'm gonna have to drop her. No way I'm gonna get tied down to an uptight chick like her."

Neil stood and glared loathingly at the stall door in which Jack sat behind. Neil's body began to shake in anticipation as he imagined kicking the door open and smashing in Jack's face with the phone clutched within his hand.

Before Neil could turn his thoughts into action, Jack spoke up once more. "Hmm. I'm outta toilet paper here. Toss me another roll, would ya?"

This minor interruption gave Neil enough time to calm himself, venting out the anger within in one slow exhale. _I really really really want to bash his face in, but that would just be moronic. _"Yeah, uh, I'll be just a minute."

"Can't you just get me some from another stall?"

"Yeah, about that, looks like the other stalls are out too. Oh what a coincidence, we're also out of paper towels. I'm gonna have to get some more out of the storage room. You just wait there and not talk to anyone else, that'll be off-putting to other customers." Neil trudged out of the restroom, his body still quivering in antipathy.

He then stepped into the dining area and made a beeline straight towards Eva's table. Eva spotted him before he even made it halfway and by the time he had arrived, she had a plethora of things to ask and say.

"Neil? I thought I saw you earlier. What the heck are you doing here? Do you work here now? Does that mean the boss fired you? How'd you get a job so quick?"

"Let's go Eva, we're leaving," Neil commanded as he ignored Eva's inquiries.

Eva looked up at him defiantly. "Why should I?"

Again, Neil ignored Eva's question, though this time it was because he was now enamored by Eva's half-eaten risotto, the grumble in his stomach reminding him that he had essentially skipped lunch. Eva rolled her eyes and nudged her plate towards Neil, prompting the hungry doctor-turned-bathroom attendant to take a seat and start wolfing down the Italian delight.

Eva snapped her fingers in front of Neil's face to get his attention. "Neil, I don't know what you're trying to pull, but could you save it for later? I'm kind of with someone here…"

"Yeah, _I know_," Neil replied resentfully, having just finished what was left of Eva's meal.

Eva furrowed her brows at Neil. "What's with the attitude?"

"It's not important." Neil wiped his mouth with his sleeve before standing up. "C'mon, let's go already."

"Okay, hotshot, riddle me this then," Eva challenged. "Even if I did want to go with you, I can't just get up and walk out the door, can I?"

"You're right; they'll expect you to pay."

"That's not what I was-"

"We'll go out the back." Neil unceremoniously took hold of her wrist and pulled her off the seat before dragging a reluctant Eva across the dining area and towards the kitchen. He had let go of Eva for just a moment to remove his vest, but quickly grabbed her arm just as she attempted to slip away. They went into the kitchen and weaved through the allotment of waiters and cooks though he couldn't quite avoid the floor manager's line of sight.

"Hey! Where are you going?" The lady with the clip board called out to him.

"My shift is over!" Neil shouted back just as he and Eva went out the backdoor.

Once they were in the alley, Eva managed to wrestle her arm from Neil's grasp. "Okay Neil, just what the hell is going on with you?!"

"It's, well, err…" Neil stammered, not entirely sure where to begin.

"Why are you here?" Eva clarified, giving Neil a place to start.

"It's just that… well I mean… uh, I found out you were on a date and-"

"You found _out_?" Eva repeated incredulously. "How? Did Taima tell you?"

"It doesn't matter how!" Neil responded defensively, not wanting to reveal his method of acquiring that particular piece of information. "Why didn't you tell me in the first place?"

"Why should I tell you? It's my personal life, which you have no business being a part of."

Neil's jaw dropped slightly after hearing Eva's statement. "What is that supposed to mean? Aren't we friends?"

"Yeah, _work _friends," Eva snapped, "Anything more is just unprofessional and I'll have no part in it."

"How the hell can you say that? I completely skipped out on the boss's meeting just to be here."

"Well, you're an idiot then if you felt like you had to do that," Eva responded coldly. "So many people get the wrong idea about us, it's a bother."

It felt like an icy hand with barbed nails had taken hold of Neil's heart and gave it an unmerciful squeeze. The callousness of Eva's words had suddenly dawned on her but before she could take them back, Neil turned his back and interrupted her with a harsh declaration.

"Fine. If I'm such a bother, I'll just stop being your friend. Go date that asshole, don't blame me if you get hurt." Neil attempted to storm off but was stopped when Eva just barely managed to pinch his sleeve with index finger and thumb. It wasn't much of a hold, but it was enough to keep Neil in place, though he still refused to look at Eva.

"I'm sorry, Neil. We're more than just work friends, it's just that between Taima and my sister, I'm fed up with people mistaking what we have for something much more intimate."

Neil turned back around to face Eva, though this time his eyes were suspiciously moist and squinty.

"Oh my god," Eva remarked, "were you just crying?"

"N-no! Just a-allergies…" Neil babbled out as he lifted up his glasses and rubbed his eyes with the back of his arm. When he had opened his eyes fully, the redness was as apparent as spilt wine on a tablecloth, though she kept any more comments to herself.

"Neil." Eva suddenly adopted a serious tone. "You called my date an asshole and said he was going to hurt me. Were you just lashing out or is there something I should know?"

"Right, _that_." Neil pulled out his cellphone and tossed it towards Eva. "We had a little conversation in the restroom, I recorded most of it, listen to it."

Eva gave Neil a dubious glance before accessing the recording application on his phone. She listened intently and once the recording reached the more revealing side of the conversation, she turned around, masking her expression from Neil. The recording ended and was followed by a brief moment of silence.

"Eva?" Neil nervously called out after a few instances.

"That…" Eva trembled slightly, prompting to Neil to approach her. "That chauvinistic misogynist pig!"

Eva's flare-up caused Neil to jump and she raised his phone high above her head. Neil sensed imminent destruction and managed to rescue his precious device by snatching it out of her hand, making Eva toss nothing but air vengefully against the ground.

"Damn, Eva! I know you're mad, but no need to take that out on my stuff!"

"I am going to kick his ass!" Eva continued to rage.

"Actually, you might literally want to stay away from that part of his body at the moment."

Eva placed a palm on her face, mostly covering her eyes, and a visible shudder took hold of her body. Neil cocked his head to the side upon seeing the sudden change in Eva's demeanor.

"Eva?"

"He had me wrapped around his finger as if he knew exactly what to say to me…"

"Eva, are you o-"

"Am I really _that _pathetic?!" Eva whirled toward Neil, revealing the moisture that began to build up at the bottom of her eyes. "I go on _one _date and already I'm going gaga over some smooth-talker with a medical license!"

Eva's tear stained face heavily unsettled Neil and without even thinking Neil had reached out and thumbed away a droplet that had begun to travel down her cheek. It took a moment for the two to register what just happened and once it did they quickly looked away from each other.

"Ahem," Neil cleared his throat. "Let's get back to the office; I might still be able to see the boss."

"Okay."

"We should also tell Taima how much of a prick her nephew is."

"… Yeah."

The two headed out the alleyway, with Neil retrieving his lab coat from where he left it. As they walked back to the Sigmund Corporation Building Eva's gaze was downcast and she lagged slightly behind Neil. Neil constantly looked over his shoulder to make sure Eva kept pace which came with the added disadvantage of having to look upon a side to Eva he was completely unused to seeing.

Eva's eyes were sorrowful, her bottom lip quivered, and she hugged herself with her arms as if in fear of being violated.

_Why does she look so pitiful? What do I say to her? This is _not _the Eva I know. _"To answer your question from before," Neil spoke up, "no, you're not pathetic."

Eva looked up at him briefly before looking back down at the ground. "Thanks, Neil."

"I mean it," Neil asserted, "you may have been a little eager on this date, but I'm sure after a while, it would have been you dictating the relationship."

"I'm sure he would have broken up with me long before then."

Neil gave Eva a shrug. "Or you would have broken up with him. All I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with being impressed by someone on the first date. It's not indicative of where a relationship will lead."

"He made it pretty clear to you where he wanted the relationship to lead to," Eva bitterly replied. "And honestly, it probably would have gone his way. I'm just thankful you were here to help me dodge the bullet."

Neil grimaced at Eva's attitude. "This ain't like you, Eva."

"What, I can't be upset?" Eva glared at Neil.

"You can be upset; in fact you're _always _upset, usually at me. But you're never sad. C'mon, you're _Eva._ You're a badass, independent woman that takes no crap from anyone! There's no point in letting some playboy get you down."

Somehow, Neil managed to coax a smile out of Eva. "Thank you, Neil."

Eva now walked alongside Neil, her posture exuding typical Eva-like authority. With Eva now feeling better, Neil's thoughts wondered to some of the things Eva had said earlier.

"Y'know, back at that restaurant, you said it as bother for you when people get the wrong idea about us."

"I didn't mean it like _that_," Eva quickly replied. "It's just that people shouldn't start making considerations based on incorrect information."

Neil raised a piqued eyebrow. "So, what 'considerations' have people made?"

"Well, my sister's getting married; I've been meaning to tell you by the way."

"I know," Neil instinctively replied.

"How did you-"

"You're date told me," Neil quickly recovered, dreading to find out what Eva would do to him should she find out he has been snooping around in her journal entries.

"Anyways," Eva went on, "my sister's getting married, and she just assumed you were coming along too because she thought we were a couple, and that's what couples do."

"I could go to a wedding!" Neil responded and surprising Eva. "Free food, free drinks, and some free laughs while the best man starts to spill some of the bride and groom's dirty secrets in front of everyone, I bet it'd be a hoot!"

Eva let out a sigh a twisted a lock of her hair on her finger. "That's not the point. Gardenia made a consideration based on something she assumed but was ultimately false. I didn't know whether or not you'd actually want to go to a wedding, so the practical thing would have been to ask you first."

"Yeah, yeah, fine." Neil's mouth twisted as if he just tasted something sour.

"But," Eva went on, "I mean… it's not as if I'm actually opposed to the idea of people thinking we're in a relationship if we were _actually _in one…"

Neil turned to Eva disbelievingly, the ends of his mouth curling slightly upwards. "What?"

Eva's face was now flushed and she had to turn her head away from Neil. "What I mean to say is that if my professional integrity wasn't at risk of being compromised… There just might be something… something between… I don't know!"

"So what you're saying is… that you love me?"

"That is not what I'm saying!" Eva swiftly retorted. Her nostrils flared, her eyes turned into daggers and her fists clenched at her side as she bared her teeth at the impudent doctor beside her.

Neil simply gave her a wry smirk. "You do, you _love _me!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you do!"

Eva stopped walking and pointed a dramatic finger at Neil. "Yeah? Well, you love me too!"

It was now Neil's turn to be taken aback. "What?! Are you high or something?"

Eva crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Puh-lease Neil, why else would you have been at the restaurant? I bet you were jealous, weren't you?"

"I wasn't jealous!"

"Then why were you there? Oh wait, I believe the last thing you said before I interrupted you was, 'I found out you were on a date'. So you found out I was on a date, and?"

"Just shut up!" Neil childishly responded. "I'm not answering that kind of question from the woman who loves me!"

"I _loathe _you."

A dejected expression manifested itself on Neil's face, but was quickly sent away when Eva flicked him on the nose.

"You only get to play the offended victim _once_, you manipulative demon," Eva scolded him.

"Owie…" Neil gingerly rubbed the tip of his nose.

The two continued on their walk in silence and after a few minutes of walking, the Sigmund Corporation building loomed into sight. As they made their way towards it, Eva broke up the silence.

"So you'll come to the wedding?"

Neil gave her a single shoulder shrug. "Sure but, wouldn't that make people think that we're…?"

Eva curled the single strand of grey hair, a strand that seemed to be invisible to Neil, on her finger as they made their way into the corporation building. "It'll be fine, I guess."

* * *

And that's the end! I hope you enjoyed and whether you did or you didn't, please leave a review!


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